Oil and water separator having a collecting pipe and a stratification pipe therebelow



July 8, 1947. w, QLIVQ ET AL 2,423,793

OIL AND WATER SEPARATOR HAVING A COLLECTING PIPE AND-A STRATIFICATIONPIPE THEBEBELOW Filed Feb. 2, 1944 5 3 20 v f f" Q it ,5

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Patented July 8, 1947 OIL AND. WATER SEPARATOR HAVING A COLLECTING PIPEAND A STRATIFICA- TION PIPE THEREBELOW Walter L. Olive andlliseph B.Terrell, Denver City, Tex.

Application February 2, 1944, Serial No. 520,806

2 Claims. 1

This invention relates to oil and water separators and has reference,more in particular, to a so-called water knock-out trap for both pumperand pressure wells, and the principal object is to generally andspecifically improve upon presently known similarly constructed traps,this through the adoption and use of a unitary construction of utmostsimplicity aptly and ideally suited for the purposes intended.

Oil and water separators hitherto known are rather complex structuresusually provided with a stratiflcation chamber into which the oil mixedwith water enters. As the stratiflcation chamber of such a water trapcanhardly have the requisite height to exclude withdrawal of gas or waterwith the oil, a standpipe, and oil, gas and water heads have to be addedfrom which the stratifled fluids may be withdrawn at levelssufllc'ientlydifferent is admitted and from which the oil, when entirely freed fromwater, is withdrawn. This oil pipe cooperates with a stratiflcation pipearranged below and communicating with it by means of vertical pipes. Itis provided with a number of deflector partitions or baflies directingthe inflowing oil towards the-Stratification pipe and reducing thevelocity of the flow towards the outlet. The oil pipe forms a straightcommunication between the inlet of the oil and its outlet. Thedeflectors or baflies divide it into sections. In the flrst section nearthe inlet end the oil and the water carried by it is deflected into thestrati- The middle section is filled with oil rising through thevertical pipes from the stratiflcation pipe. The deflecting baflle atthe end of this section directs any water which may have been carriedinto-this section by direct inflow or otherwise into the stratiflcationpipe. The latter, which is located in a separate branch, permitscomplete stratiflcation and separation of the water and oil withoutcausing emulsiflcation.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a compact andconvenient assemblage of coacting parts so designed and coordinated asto minimize the presence of obstructive turns, this to prevent theformation of emulsions, to maintain the desired uniform pressure andcirculatory action and insuring a steady and direct flow of fluid fromthe time it enters the trap until it leaves the trap by especiallyarranged discharge devices.

Further, in carrying out the principles of the invention the preferredstructural embodiment is such as to simplify the task of operation ofthe attendant, to obviate the likelihood of the component parts gettingout of order and to promote safety by use of a well balanced adaptationsubstantially free from blow-outs and breakdowns.

Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become morereadily apparent from the following description and the accompanyingillustrative drawings.

In the drawings, wherein like numerals are employed to designate likeparts throughout the views:

Figure 1 is an elevational view of the complete trap constructionshowing how it is operatively connected with a conventional oil well.

Figure 3 is a similar fragmentary sectional view of the oil dischargechamber.

In the modification of the invention, as illustrated, the separator unit30 for separating oil, water and sand consists mainly of two chambersformed by pipes I2 and I5 which are arranged one below the other, andare connected by a number of vertical tubes and standpipes l4, 2|, 21a,22 and I9. Into this unit the oil from the well, which is mixed withwater and sand, is fed from the well tube 4 leading from the well whichis provided, with a head 5 connected with a tube 6 provided with a valveI. This tube is, in its turn, connected with an admission pipe 9 whichleads to the upper pipe I2 of the unit 30 forming the oil collectingpipe. The admission pipe 9 may be connected with the pipe 6 by means ofa fitting carrying a pressure gauge 8,

The admission pipe 9 is connected with the intake nipple ID of the oilcollectin pipe I2 which is of reduced cross section and which opens intoanadmission chamber ll formed within the oil collecting pipe l2 at itsentrance or admission end by means of a deflector bailie l3 which fillspart of the cross section of pipe I2 but leaves the upper part open forcommunication of the chamber H with the remainder of the pipe 12 as seenin Figure 2. In front of the deflector bafile the main verticalseparator duct I4 is arranged, which conthe deflecting battle is issomewhat forwardly inclined and may be suitably curved. It thus facesthe incoming jet entering under pressure through the restricted crosssection at the end of the pipe [2 and being placed directly behind themain vertical duct 14, it will deflect the said jet and cause it to flowdownwardly through the said main duct l4 into the stratification pipe[5.

The stratification pipe 15 is longer and of greater diameter than theoil collecting pipe 12 and it is moreover inclined with respect theretoand with respect to the horizontal.

Near the discharge end of the oil collecting pipe a discharge chamber I6is formed by means of another baille 20, partly filling the crosssection of the tube and arranged directly behind another verticalconnecting pipe l9 leading from the oil collecting pipe 12 to thestratification pipe 15. This discharge chamber 16 ends in a reducingnipple H to which the oil discharge pipe I8 is connected. The latterleads to a so-called flow beam or sampling case 26 provided with a valveor sampling cook 27 from which samples of the oil flom'ng to the cleanoil or flow line 25 and to the battery of storage tanks may be taken, inorder to check up On the operation of the separator.

At longitudinally spaced points between the two main ducts J4 and 9connecting the oil collecting and stratification pipes l2 and 15, anumber of auxiliary standpipes 2|, 2 la, 22 is arranged. They graduallyincrease as regards their vertical length on account of the inclinationof the stratification pipe towards the horizontal. On account of thisinclination the aft part of the stratification pipe will be filledmainly with water and sand, the latter sinking and being carried to theoutlet end of the stratification pipe which is located at the lowestpoint. At this point a drain or dump pipe 24 is arranged for carryingoff the water and sand to a suitable place of deposit. This pipe may beprovided with a valve 23.

The entire unit 30 may be supported by means of suitable supportingstands 28, 29,

In operation the incoming column of fluid enters the chamber ll of theoil collecting pipe 12 and is deflected by the deflecting baiile 13 downthrough the duct l4 into the intake end of the stratification pipe l5.Here the sand gravitates to the bottom and the oil floats on the top ofthe water. The sand and water follow the arrows 4 within the field ofinvention claimed without departing from the essence oi the invention,as the principles underlying our invention have been clearly describedin such terms as to indicate the essential points oi. the invention,

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is: I

1. An oil and water separator comprising an oil collecting pipe, anadmission pipe and an oil discharge pipe, both directly connected withthe oil collecting pipe and arranged at substantially the same level, astratification pipe arranged below the oil collecting pipe, serving as astratification chamber, a plurality of connecting pipes between said oilcollecting pipe and said Stratification pipe, one of these pipes beingarranged near the end of the oil collecting pipe connected with the oiladmission pipe and another near the end connected with the oil dischargepipe, and defleeting bailles in said oil collecting pipe arrangeddirectly behind the two last named connecting pipes.

2. An oil and water separator comprising an oil collecting pipeextending in a horizontal direction and divided into three chambers,communicating with each other, two deflecting battles inter, larger thanthe -oil collecting pipe arranged A while the oil on top backs up and iselevated through the pipes 2|, 22 and 19 into the oil collecting pipe I2as indicated by the arrows B.

As the number of turns in the construction is reduced to a minimum thereis virtually no likelihood of an emulsification of oil and water afterit enters the trap. The use of simple bafile plates permits to arrangethe inlet pipe, the oil collecting pipe and the discharge pipe at thesame level in a straight line, eliminates the necessity for reducing thepressure to the zero level at the entrance or at the discharge endreduces the velocity of the flow through the oil collecting pipe andprevents the water which may have penetrated into the oil collectingpipe from getting into the discharge chamber. The elimination ofemulsions of oil and water in this construction maintains a higher pointof gravity of the oil. The latter will therefore be lowered as a resultof separation in this construction.

Persons skilled in the art to which the invention relates will be ableto make changes in the shape, size and arrangement of details comingbelow said oil collecting pipe in inclined position with respect to thesame, a main separator duct leading from said admission chamber to saidstratification pipe arranged directly in front of the deflecting baffleof said chamber, a second vertical connecting pipe leading from thestratification chamber to said central chamber arranged directly infront of the deflecting baiile of the dis 7 charge chamber and adischarge pipe for water and sand connected with the lower end of thestratification pipe. v

WALTER L. OLIVO.

JOSEPH B. TERRELL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

1 UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,559,115 Marker et a1 Oct. 27,1925 1,714,338 Yelmgren May 21, 1929 1,619,713 Frean Mar. 1, 19271,458,234 Miller June 12, 1923 1,468,193 Carter Sept, 18, 1923 1,494,670Delaney et a1 May 20, 1924 1,516,132 Allen W. R.'et al. Nov. 13, 19241,939,988 Knoles Dec. 19. 1933 1,496,090 Marker et a1 June 3, 19242,229,732 Goldsmith Jan. 28, 1941 1,157,902 Reynolds Oct. 26, 19151,762,538 Worthington June 10, 1930 787,367 French Apr. 18, 19051,625,709 Conrad 1 Apr. 19, 1927 1,754,119 Pink Apr. 8, 1930 2,150,437Gilbert Mar, 14, 1939' Forbes et al. Jan. 27, 1903

